Tag Archives: overweight

Do you ever experience a burning sensation in your chest, especially when lying down after a meal? You’re not alone! In fact, 7 to 8% of the population experiences this discomfort, which is a symptom of acid reflux disease commonly called heartburn.

Normally, a valve at the junction between your esophagus and your stomach opens to let food pass through and then closes again. But if the valve opens too frequently, or does not create a proper seal upon shutting, the acidic contents of the stomach can flow back into the esophagus. That’s when you feel pain radiating from your upper abdomen toward your throat.

Occasional heartburn may not be cause for alarm, but chronic acid reflux can have serious consequences, like increasing your risk of developing esophageal cancer. Persistent or worsening symptoms should be brought to your doctor’s attention.

There are a variety of over-the-counter and prescription drugs that may provide relief, including Tums, Zantac, Pepcid and Prevacid. But, if you’re like me, and you want to minimize medication usage, try making these simple dietary and lifestyle modifications…

A: Body mass index, or BMI, is calculated using weight and height and often correlates with body fatness. Therefore, your BMI can indicate your risk for health problems associated with being underweight or overweight. Calculate your BMI here.

BMI < 18.5

Underweight

BMI 18.5 – 24.9

Healthy weight

BMI 25 – 29.9

Overweight

BMI 30 – 39.9

Obesity

BMI ≥ 40

Extreme obesity

Two-thirds of the adult U.S. population is currently overweight or obese. Excess weight drastically increases your risk for chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. If any of these conditions run in your family, it is particularly important to manage your weight.

Alongside BMI, waist circumference is also an important indicator of disease risk. BMI cannot differentiate between varying body compositions, but waist circumference can. Abdominal obesity – a so-called “apple” body shape – is especially dangerous. The fat stored centrally, known as visceral fat, is more swiftly released into the bloodstream, contributing to an increase in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and a higher heart disease risk. Fat around the thighs, hips and legs also does this, but at a much slower rate. In addition, abdominal fat promotes inflammation in the body, which has been linked to chronic illnesses. [For reference, a “high-risk” waist circumference is ≥ 35 inches for women and ≥ 40 inches for men. Use a tape measure to assess your risk: Keep it level with your navel, parallel to the floor and do not hold your breath while measuring.]

Even if your weight and body type are putting you at high risk, there’s still good news! Modest weight loss of just 5-10% of your body weight significantly improves health, control of diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. And if you’re overweight, fitness still matters! A study by Lee et al (1999) demonstrated that fit, obese men had a dramatically lower all-cause mortality risk as compared to unfit, lean men! Now that’s a reason to exercise!